Evaluating the Impact of Transcendental Meditation on Trauma Symptoms, Depression, Anxiety, and Sleep Problems Among Israeli Civilians Post-October 7, 2023: A Pilot Study
AI Summary
8-week TM pilot with 39 evacuated Israeli civilians assessed PTSD, depression, anxiety, and sleep using validated measures (PCL-5, PHQ-9, GAD-7, ISI).
Significant within-group reductions observed in PTSD, depression, anxiety, and insomnia from baseline to post-test.
Findings support feasibility and acceptability of TM but require cautious interpretation and confirmation in randomised controlled trials due to uncontrolled pilot design.
J Clin Psychol. 2026 Jun 29. doi: 10.1002/jclp.70172. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The mass evacuation of Israeli residents from conflict zones after the events of October 7, 2023, coupled with ongoing security threats, has taken a substantial psychological toll, with many individuals exhibiting symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and sleep problems. This pilot study examined the feasibility and preliminary within-group changes associated with participation in transcendental meditation (TM), a non-pharmacological program, in relation to PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, and sleep problems among 39 Israeli civilians evacuated after October 7.
METHOD: In an 8-week intervention, we examined changes in psychological well-being using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Changes in PTSD symptoms, depression symptoms, anxiety, and sleep problems were analyzed using dependent t-tests. Additional analyses of baseline, 4-week, and 8-week post-test data used repeated-measures analysis of variance.
RESULTS: Participants showed statistically significant within-group decreases from baseline to post-test in PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, and sleep problems.
CONCLUSION: Findings provide preliminary support for the feasibility and acceptability of TM in trauma-exposed civilians and suggest that participation in the program was associated with improvements in psychological symptoms over time. Given the uncontrolled pilot design, these results should be interpreted cautiously and require confirmation in randomized controlled trials.
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